Why did the Haitian earthquake become a food crisis? I spent the last nine days in Haiti working with refugees in Haiti and personally trying to better understand the answer to this question.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Specialization and trade has created incredible wealth and other benefits. Yet a dogmatic application of comparative advantage to agriculture has been a social and economic failure.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Modern wheat is designed for high yields, and to produce flours with consistently high protein contents. In the meantime, flavor has fallen by the wayside.
Is looking to heirloom varieties the solution? I don’t think so.
Monday, December 28, 2009
I have compiled what I think are the best visualizations I’ve seen on the organic industry and its trends. This was prompted by reader comments from a Justin Manor, who was interested in learning the origins of the fire hose of packaged soy and gluten products from which he feeds.
Monday, December 14, 2009
GoodEater.org recently decided to test the value of bringing people from organizations such as Slow Food, Unilever, and UBS together in an offline dinner entitled “The Future of Food”, cheffed by our own Kenji Alt.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Food battles are coming to a head this season. Last night I attended the panel talk “Can ‘Big Food’ Embrace Sustainable Agriculture”, featuring senior representation from Monsanto, General Mills, Dean Foods, Deutsche Bank, the Rainforest Alliance, and Slow Food. This was one of only several great debates held just this week on the food system, including clashes on ethical farms vs. vegetarianism, and on food stamps vs. nutrition standards for the poor.
Monday, December 7, 2009
(Judson Berkey, Zurich, Switzerland) While concepts such as sustainability and local production have a long tradition in Europe, they are relatively new in the U.S. and still trying to find a footing there. What is not new, however, is the concept of food safety. This is a topic with a long and storied history in America. 2009-2010 is proving to be another leap forward; one that may incorporate new sustainable agriculture paradigms.
Friday, December 4, 2009
After working-out and cleaning-up, what’s a more productive form of procrastination on a Friday than doing your part on political issues you care about?
Monday, November 30, 2009
A recent study found that US per capita food waste has increased by about 50% since 1974. We now waste over 1400 calories per person per day in America, enough to feed 200 million people. Meanwhile, we have an obesity epidemic, the USDA reports that one-in-seven Americans went hungry last year, and the New York Times just released a major piece on the soaring use of food stamps. What the heck is going on?
Monday, November 23, 2009
The food supply crisis and the proper counterattack is emerging as one of the great debates of our time. Particularly timely is a great video that many missed last year: Google.org hosting a discussion between Hugh Grant, CEO of Monsanto, and Michael Pollan, on how the world can feed itself. It’s hardly as predictable as you might think.
Packaged foods strike back, again. Check your pantry for the following 101 items that are being recalled by the FDA for salmonella in a massive recall. The source is hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) paste and powder – used for added flavoring in dips and snacks. The ingredient originated at Basic Food Flavors, Inc., in Las Vegas, Nev. Guess that’s what happens when you gamble with your food supply?
The makers of King Corn will be debuting their sequel, Big River, in Manhattan on March 15th at 6PM. The film literally explores the downstream impact of corn farming in the Midwest. There will be a panel talk with the filmmakers and other guests at the event. Click the link above for details.
Backyard pizza madman – a former subject of our Pizza-Oven Lifestyles series – Paul Gianonne (aka Paulie Gee) is opening his own joint in Green Point. Slice reports that he recently signed the lease for the former Paloma space at 60 Greenpoint Avenue.
Good luck Paulie! We’ll be there rooting for you opening night!
Monday, February 22, 2010
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